Last March we started a fundraiser to get a speech device for our son, Kaiden - this is our happy update, aired 12/23/14! :)
KAAL TV 6 ABC News Interview
Affordable fitted cloth diapers, cloth diaper inserts, cloth diaper covers, natural skin care, and crafty things ~ all made with quality and love ~ we do custom orders, too!
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
What's new!
 |
| Two new testers ready for action! |
Sewing diapers for 4 years has given me time to test out different fabrics - I mean really test. I've tested the fabric by different wash routines, different detergents, and different drying methods. I admit, as a busy parent most of the time I take the most convenient route and don't treat my son's diapers as nicely as I should, since I can easily make more. I know that both using bleach and putting the diapers in the dryer weakens the fabric, shortening the lifespan of the natural-fabric diaper. I've been using Cozy flannel for the interior layer & pocket of my flannel fitted diapers, and do not always see equal quality through the entire bolt of fabric. It's one thing if you're treating your diapers nicely, but when you're like me and treat them less-than-nice they just don't last as long as they should and that doesn't make this Mama happy! I pride myself on making a quality product!
So, it is time to test out actual "diaper flannel". Diaper flannel is napped on both sides and is a thicker, stronger fabric than Cozy flannel. And I've been itching to try serging the edges rather than how I make them now, which is turned & topstitched. Overall, I think turned & top stitched has a neater, cleaner look, but serging the edges takes so much less sewing time that it allows me to use better quality (re: more expensive) fabrics and still offer the diapers at a reasonable price.
The two tester diapers above are each made differently - although both have serged edges and use diaper flannel for the interior layers, the dinosaur diaper on the left is made in my usual 3 layer style - 1 layer printed Snuggle flannel, 1 inner layer diaper flannel, 1 inner diaper flannel pocket, while the bears/deer camo print has an extra full inner layer of diaper flannel making it even thicker.
The hardest part about testing the new fabric is going through months of heavy use before being able to make an accurate judgement. I do think the diaper flannel will be better, but only time will tell!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Time for the Annual July Sale!
For the entire month of July, get 10% off anything at Greenchild Creations! Please use Etsy Coupon Code 10OFF at checkout. :)
Thursday, April 17, 2014
The costs of doing business . . .
I wish I had another fun post for you - well, I can tell you about my new diaper covers!! :) I am incredibly excited about them because they are so soft (and cute)! I may reserve the blizzard & anti-pill fleece for my "fitted" fleece diaper covers and switch all my side-snap diaper covers to this: Cotton print outer, soft & fluffy fleece inner, & a hidden PUL panel to help prevent compression wicking.
What made me want to make this change? I kept seeing that soft & fluffy fleece in the fabric store and it was calling my name . . . eventually I caved and purchased some. And boy am I glad I did! LOVE it! And there are SO many more prints to choose from for a cotton outer than a fleece outer. I did slightly revise the design; the front waist tabs have been widened a bit and now feature an extra snap. When people refer to a cloth diapered child as having a "fluffy butt", this one really fits that name! So far the above cotton print is the only print I have in stock, but more will come.
Oooooh I just thought of something else fun to tell you! I have finally perfected a diaper pail spray that goes beyond reducing the ammonia stink, which my current diaper pail spray does. This new one reduces ammonia, urine, and poop smells! I plan to offer it in 3 scents: floral, tropical, and fruity. Hopefully that will be ready for production this summer! It does use vinegar and essential oils; all of which are safe for Greenchild Creations diapers, covers, & inserts. However, please always check with your diaper manufacturer as some do not recommend those ingredients to be used on their diapers.
And on to the original intent for this post . . . the rising cost of doing business. Very recently it was signed into law that the minimum wage for the state of Minnesota, where I live, is going up (which I fully support!). It does affect my business because with current prices, pretty soon I will be making less than minimum wage. There have been a few times busy enough I've seriously considered hiring outside help, and I cannot pay them less than minimum wage. What does this mean for the business? It means prices will go up accordingly. I've thought about following how the state of MN plans to roll it out over the next two years; whether or not my customers would want to see 3 price increases or just have one and be done with it. I feel the best course of action is to have just one price increase, which will go into effect in August 2014.
Things like this, among others, make me truly appreciate my customers! Because of your support, this has gone from a hobby to a real, bona fide business; something I never imagined I would do. If someone told me 10 years ago I'd design, sew, and sell cloth diapers, I'd have said they were crazy! It's funny where life takes you - I am loving this journey!
Oooooh I just thought of something else fun to tell you! I have finally perfected a diaper pail spray that goes beyond reducing the ammonia stink, which my current diaper pail spray does. This new one reduces ammonia, urine, and poop smells! I plan to offer it in 3 scents: floral, tropical, and fruity. Hopefully that will be ready for production this summer! It does use vinegar and essential oils; all of which are safe for Greenchild Creations diapers, covers, & inserts. However, please always check with your diaper manufacturer as some do not recommend those ingredients to be used on their diapers.
And on to the original intent for this post . . . the rising cost of doing business. Very recently it was signed into law that the minimum wage for the state of Minnesota, where I live, is going up (which I fully support!). It does affect my business because with current prices, pretty soon I will be making less than minimum wage. There have been a few times busy enough I've seriously considered hiring outside help, and I cannot pay them less than minimum wage. What does this mean for the business? It means prices will go up accordingly. I've thought about following how the state of MN plans to roll it out over the next two years; whether or not my customers would want to see 3 price increases or just have one and be done with it. I feel the best course of action is to have just one price increase, which will go into effect in August 2014.
Things like this, among others, make me truly appreciate my customers! Because of your support, this has gone from a hobby to a real, bona fide business; something I never imagined I would do. If someone told me 10 years ago I'd design, sew, and sell cloth diapers, I'd have said they were crazy! It's funny where life takes you - I am loving this journey!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Fundraising time!
My little guy has been using a Vantage Lite (LAMP system) loaner unit in speech therapy and is doing fantastic! He picked it up quicker than anyone thought he would (except me, LOL!! I KNOW he's a smart little stinker!!). But, since it's a loaner unit, it's time for it to be used with another child. These speech devices, while fantastic . . . are not cheap. We're talking a range of $6000 and up, up, up. So . . . here we are . . . fundraising time!
Here is our GoFundMe page: http://www.gofundme.com/HelpKaidenTalk Please go check it out - donations of any size are immensely appreciated, as well as sharing his page via social media. We're off to a great start, and are so blessed to have so many wonderfully caring people in our lives!
Here is our GoFundMe page: http://www.gofundme.com/HelpKaidenTalk Please go check it out - donations of any size are immensely appreciated, as well as sharing his page via social media. We're off to a great start, and are so blessed to have so many wonderfully caring people in our lives!
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Blog Reviews!
I love working with bloggers! It is truly one of the best forms of advertising! I have provided A LOT of diapers (and other product) over the last 3 years in exchange for blog reviews (most with giveaways), and have had many wonderful reviews written about them.
Normally I do many blog reviews with giveaways each year. I did the same last year; well I should clarify - I did send out a lot of requested product for blog reviews with giveaways. This last year was a big learning experience for me. This last year, I learned that while most of my bloggers have been fantastic, some are, unfortunately, not. :( My first two years, I think I only had one or two transactions that were less than stellar. But this last year . . . sadly, I had very few that went well, and most that went . . . not well. Product that got sent out at my expense with no review written in exchange, nor me receiving the product back; basically a lot of people got some very nice free items. At my expense! I am not a big company; I am one person. Sometimes I need to use Etsy funds to put food on the table when things are tight, and that makes me even more thankful for all my wonderful customers!!
I've had to revise my blog policy because of this year's experiences. I am still very happy to provide FREE diapers for blog reviews, but now there is a catch: depending on the size and activity level of the blog (some will be exempt), all diapers must be paid for in advance. I will provide FULL reimbursement (including shipping) as long all conditions are met, which include the time frame the review is posted, the blogger providing me with the review link, and giveaway winner information. See, easy, right? Provided the criteria is met, the diapers end up being 100% FREE. While it was easier to just send free product, I lost a lot of money (and product!) this last year, and I really don't want to do that again, I just cannot afford it. I hope all my bloggers understand!!
Click here to read my Etsy Shop Policies. The Blog Policy is further down near the bottom of the page. :)
Normally I do many blog reviews with giveaways each year. I did the same last year; well I should clarify - I did send out a lot of requested product for blog reviews with giveaways. This last year was a big learning experience for me. This last year, I learned that while most of my bloggers have been fantastic, some are, unfortunately, not. :( My first two years, I think I only had one or two transactions that were less than stellar. But this last year . . . sadly, I had very few that went well, and most that went . . . not well. Product that got sent out at my expense with no review written in exchange, nor me receiving the product back; basically a lot of people got some very nice free items. At my expense! I am not a big company; I am one person. Sometimes I need to use Etsy funds to put food on the table when things are tight, and that makes me even more thankful for all my wonderful customers!!
I've had to revise my blog policy because of this year's experiences. I am still very happy to provide FREE diapers for blog reviews, but now there is a catch: depending on the size and activity level of the blog (some will be exempt), all diapers must be paid for in advance. I will provide FULL reimbursement (including shipping) as long all conditions are met, which include the time frame the review is posted, the blogger providing me with the review link, and giveaway winner information. See, easy, right? Provided the criteria is met, the diapers end up being 100% FREE. While it was easier to just send free product, I lost a lot of money (and product!) this last year, and I really don't want to do that again, I just cannot afford it. I hope all my bloggers understand!!
Click here to read my Etsy Shop Policies. The Blog Policy is further down near the bottom of the page. :)
Saturday, October 12, 2013
What? An all-natural, easy-to-make shower cleaner that actually works?
I've waited a really long time for this!
We've lived in our house for over 17 years. We also live in an area with super ridiculously hard water. Our shower (well, the whole bathroom) was newly remodeled, never been used when we moved in . . . and in all those passing years, the lime scale buildup + soap residue got pretty bad.
I tried everything. I mean EVERYTHING - from natural cleaners to harsh chemicals to the "leave it on and forget it" types, even tried using cleaners that weren't specific to showers. Or bathrooms. Some of the bathroom cleaners loosened the soap residue into a thick sticky mess that was virtually impossible to clean off not only the walls but whatever I was using to clean the walls - sponge, scrubbie, scrubbing brush, etc. Beyond that, all I've really been able to do is etch and discolor the walls with the harsh cleaners. The shower might have been "surface clean" but it certainly wasn't "down to the original surface" clean. I even scoured the Internet for ideas, and sadly found that everyone pretty much said lime scale with soap residue just could not be cleaned off effectively or safely.
I really hated my shower.
Now, when I wash my son's diapers, I use vinegar for the hard water and we also boil vinegar in our electric teapot to remove the lime scale. I know that citrus essential oils break down oil; I use citrus essential oils in my Citrus Scrub Soap. Not only does the Citrus Scrub Soap easily cut through the oily kitchen grease and grime, it will also take permanent marker off of plastic and remove adhesive.
So there I was thinking, there has to be a way to combine the vinegar with the citrus oils in such a way that it can stay on the walls to soak for an extended period of time. It's pretty difficult to soak vertical surfaces with runny liquids! Any thickener I added needed to be washed off easily and not interfere with the cleaning process. Eventually . . . eventually I got the bright idea to thicken the mixture with xanthan gum. Xanthan gum also acts as an emulsifier, keeping the essential oils dispersed within the vinegar. Xanthan gum clumps when added to liquid, but over several hours will thicken the mixture into something gooey and sticky, yet it can be washed off with just hot water. Xanthan gum can be found in grocery stores. It's expensive, but since such a tiny amount is needed, it will last a very long time!
I was so excited by the idea I made some right away. As I mentioned above, the xanthan gum clumps and doesn't mix well. No worries, stir it as best you can and let it sit for a few hours to thicken, stirring occasionally. How many hours? Overnight is good. I used my first batch within 3 - 4 hours, and 24 hours later, it was a little thicker. I applied it directly to the worst of the soap residue spots (make sure the shower walls are dry, so water doesn't dilute it), and left it on for at least 12 hours. And that spot came CLEAN. I mean, down to the original surface clean!! I was beyond excited about this . . . this meant that I *might actually* have a really clean shower again! I applied the rest of the mixture to the rest of the shower walls. It got thin in some spots since I had made a small batch. Then let it sit overnight and scrubbed it off in the morning. The applied mixture does dry on the shower walls, and you'll need warm, if not hot, water to loosen up the dried sticky mixture. But when you scrub it off, it takes the soap residue with it!
Some of my heavy lime scale spots were still there, and after repeated applications, were STILL there. Sigh . . . . okay, what now? Then I turned to citric acid - it's supposed to be better at breaking down lime scale. I experimented with the amount to add to my vinegar/essential oils/xanthan gum mix. I found that if I used a lot of it, it did a great job on the lime scale but it didn't rinse clean and left LOTS of white streaks on my shower walls, which is one of the issues I'd had with commercial cleaners that promised to cut through lime scale.
I also wanted to be able to cut through the soap residue a little faster, so for the next round I used most of the same essential oils I use in my Citrus Scrub Soap. Ahhh, not only did that smell fantastic, it really worked!! Citric acid and essential oils can be purchased online. I get a lot of my supplies at Wholesale Supplies Plus - if you order over $40, your shipping is free! (They have such a great selection of items it's not hard to spend $40!!)
Now back to the white streak problem . . . baking soda! A nice, natural, gently-abrasive scrubber. I had tried making a simple cleaner of just vinegar and baking soda years ago, but it didn't do anything for the soap residue, and couldn't stay on the walls long enough to break down the heavy lime scale. I tried adding it to the gooey mixture, but of course, baking soda reacts with vinegar - which yes, that is what I want, but not while storing it! What to do? Aha! Just dump a good amount in the coated dried tub, dip a wet scrub brush in it, and get to scrubbing.
Then for the real test: I waited. I let the shower get really dirty. Soap residue, lime scale buildup . . . it wasn't pretty and I really didn't want to take a shower in it! When I couldn't stand it anymore, I made a fresh batch of shower cleaner, applied it, and let it sit overnight. In the morning, I dumped a good amount of baking soda in the tub, ran a little hot water to wet down the scrub brush, dipped the scrub brush in the baking soda, and scrubbed away. It did take some scrubbing effort since I purposely let it get that bad, but when I was done, I had a sparkling clean, down to the original surface, CLEAN shower.
And it's all natural. And my shower smells fantastic. *Blissful sigh*
1 c distilled white vinegar
1 tsp citric acid
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
No more than 10 ml (1/3 oz) combined essential oils:
sweet orange essential oil
tangerine essential oil
lemon essential oil
grapefruit essential oil
baking soda
Directions: Mix the citric acid with the xanthan gum. Add vinegar and essential oils. Cover tightly - make sure the lid seals tight! Shake well to mix. Let sit several hours to thicken.
Once mixture is thickened, apply to DRY shower walls with a sponge, maybe a paintbrush, or I've even used my hands. Wait several hours (overnight is easiest). Then the next time you take a shower, dump some baking soda in the tub and scrub away!
This does rinse away best if you have one of those handheld sprayer shower heads, so you can do a final rinse/scrub to make sure all the baking soda grit is rinsed away.
(Please note you should probably wear gloves to apply the mixture to shower walls if you have any broken skin or are sensitive to citrus essential oils or citric acid.)
UPDATE 11/20/16 - I have been using this recipe to clean my shower since writing the original post, but mostly just use sweet orange essential oil instead of the EO blend because it's simpler when I'm in a hurry. As I recently found out - this recipe is excellent at removing gum from clothing, and works well at cleaning the gum-coated dryer, too. For the clothes, I sprayed it on, let it soak in a few minutes, used a bristle brush to scrub, rinse, and right back in the wash it all went. The dryer: first I sprayed on the shower cleaner and let it soak awhile. Then a little sweet orange essential oil cleaned the mess right off. Lastly, I finished up with a 50/50 vinegar/water mix to wipe up the essential oil residue and leave the inside of the dryer sparkling clean.
We've lived in our house for over 17 years. We also live in an area with super ridiculously hard water. Our shower (well, the whole bathroom) was newly remodeled, never been used when we moved in . . . and in all those passing years, the lime scale buildup + soap residue got pretty bad.
I tried everything. I mean EVERYTHING - from natural cleaners to harsh chemicals to the "leave it on and forget it" types, even tried using cleaners that weren't specific to showers. Or bathrooms. Some of the bathroom cleaners loosened the soap residue into a thick sticky mess that was virtually impossible to clean off not only the walls but whatever I was using to clean the walls - sponge, scrubbie, scrubbing brush, etc. Beyond that, all I've really been able to do is etch and discolor the walls with the harsh cleaners. The shower might have been "surface clean" but it certainly wasn't "down to the original surface" clean. I even scoured the Internet for ideas, and sadly found that everyone pretty much said lime scale with soap residue just could not be cleaned off effectively or safely.
I really hated my shower.
Now, when I wash my son's diapers, I use vinegar for the hard water and we also boil vinegar in our electric teapot to remove the lime scale. I know that citrus essential oils break down oil; I use citrus essential oils in my Citrus Scrub Soap. Not only does the Citrus Scrub Soap easily cut through the oily kitchen grease and grime, it will also take permanent marker off of plastic and remove adhesive.
So there I was thinking, there has to be a way to combine the vinegar with the citrus oils in such a way that it can stay on the walls to soak for an extended period of time. It's pretty difficult to soak vertical surfaces with runny liquids! Any thickener I added needed to be washed off easily and not interfere with the cleaning process. Eventually . . . eventually I got the bright idea to thicken the mixture with xanthan gum. Xanthan gum also acts as an emulsifier, keeping the essential oils dispersed within the vinegar. Xanthan gum clumps when added to liquid, but over several hours will thicken the mixture into something gooey and sticky, yet it can be washed off with just hot water. Xanthan gum can be found in grocery stores. It's expensive, but since such a tiny amount is needed, it will last a very long time!
I was so excited by the idea I made some right away. As I mentioned above, the xanthan gum clumps and doesn't mix well. No worries, stir it as best you can and let it sit for a few hours to thicken, stirring occasionally. How many hours? Overnight is good. I used my first batch within 3 - 4 hours, and 24 hours later, it was a little thicker. I applied it directly to the worst of the soap residue spots (make sure the shower walls are dry, so water doesn't dilute it), and left it on for at least 12 hours. And that spot came CLEAN. I mean, down to the original surface clean!! I was beyond excited about this . . . this meant that I *might actually* have a really clean shower again! I applied the rest of the mixture to the rest of the shower walls. It got thin in some spots since I had made a small batch. Then let it sit overnight and scrubbed it off in the morning. The applied mixture does dry on the shower walls, and you'll need warm, if not hot, water to loosen up the dried sticky mixture. But when you scrub it off, it takes the soap residue with it!
Some of my heavy lime scale spots were still there, and after repeated applications, were STILL there. Sigh . . . . okay, what now? Then I turned to citric acid - it's supposed to be better at breaking down lime scale. I experimented with the amount to add to my vinegar/essential oils/xanthan gum mix. I found that if I used a lot of it, it did a great job on the lime scale but it didn't rinse clean and left LOTS of white streaks on my shower walls, which is one of the issues I'd had with commercial cleaners that promised to cut through lime scale.
I also wanted to be able to cut through the soap residue a little faster, so for the next round I used most of the same essential oils I use in my Citrus Scrub Soap. Ahhh, not only did that smell fantastic, it really worked!! Citric acid and essential oils can be purchased online. I get a lot of my supplies at Wholesale Supplies Plus - if you order over $40, your shipping is free! (They have such a great selection of items it's not hard to spend $40!!)
Now back to the white streak problem . . . baking soda! A nice, natural, gently-abrasive scrubber. I had tried making a simple cleaner of just vinegar and baking soda years ago, but it didn't do anything for the soap residue, and couldn't stay on the walls long enough to break down the heavy lime scale. I tried adding it to the gooey mixture, but of course, baking soda reacts with vinegar - which yes, that is what I want, but not while storing it! What to do? Aha! Just dump a good amount in the coated dried tub, dip a wet scrub brush in it, and get to scrubbing.
Then for the real test: I waited. I let the shower get really dirty. Soap residue, lime scale buildup . . . it wasn't pretty and I really didn't want to take a shower in it! When I couldn't stand it anymore, I made a fresh batch of shower cleaner, applied it, and let it sit overnight. In the morning, I dumped a good amount of baking soda in the tub, ran a little hot water to wet down the scrub brush, dipped the scrub brush in the baking soda, and scrubbed away. It did take some scrubbing effort since I purposely let it get that bad, but when I was done, I had a sparkling clean, down to the original surface, CLEAN shower.
And it's all natural. And my shower smells fantastic. *Blissful sigh*
ALL NATURAL SHOWER CLEANER RECIPE
Container with a tight-fitting lid
1 c distilled white vinegar
1 tsp citric acid
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
No more than 10 ml (1/3 oz) combined essential oils:
sweet orange essential oil
tangerine essential oil
lemon essential oil
grapefruit essential oil
baking soda
Directions: Mix the citric acid with the xanthan gum. Add vinegar and essential oils. Cover tightly - make sure the lid seals tight! Shake well to mix. Let sit several hours to thicken.
Once mixture is thickened, apply to DRY shower walls with a sponge, maybe a paintbrush, or I've even used my hands. Wait several hours (overnight is easiest). Then the next time you take a shower, dump some baking soda in the tub and scrub away!
This does rinse away best if you have one of those handheld sprayer shower heads, so you can do a final rinse/scrub to make sure all the baking soda grit is rinsed away.
(Please note you should probably wear gloves to apply the mixture to shower walls if you have any broken skin or are sensitive to citrus essential oils or citric acid.)
UPDATE 11/20/16 - I have been using this recipe to clean my shower since writing the original post, but mostly just use sweet orange essential oil instead of the EO blend because it's simpler when I'm in a hurry. As I recently found out - this recipe is excellent at removing gum from clothing, and works well at cleaning the gum-coated dryer, too. For the clothes, I sprayed it on, let it soak in a few minutes, used a bristle brush to scrub, rinse, and right back in the wash it all went. The dryer: first I sprayed on the shower cleaner and let it soak awhile. Then a little sweet orange essential oil cleaned the mess right off. Lastly, I finished up with a 50/50 vinegar/water mix to wipe up the essential oil residue and leave the inside of the dryer sparkling clean.
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